1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the one-way communication of information, a xe2x80x9cpostingxe2x80x9d, from a source agent to a target user community via a computer server connected to a wide-area network such as the Internet. In particular, the target user community for a posting is defined in terms of geographical coordinates, e.g., by a bounded region on a map. Targeted users, i.e., those whose geographical location falls within the bounded region of a posting, receive notification of the posting either automatically via email, or by logging on to the server and browsing for geographically relevant notifications via a graphical user interface.
The system described herein is intended to service mobile users as well as stationary users. Mobile users who pass through the targeted area of various postings can automatically receive those postings via their wireless connection as they travel, resulting in information automatically flowing to them at the posted information""s point of relevance.
2. Related Art
Three areas of prior art, geographical product and services databases, one-way communication of information to its xe2x80x9cpoint of relevancexe2x80x9d, and communication of information via the Internet, are relevant. This invention builds upon elements found in these three areas of prior art. However, its overall purpose, methods, and implementation differ substantially from all known disclosures. Specifically, there is no known literature describing a communication system that targets unsolicited information to an anonymous user community identified only by a bounded region on a map. U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,886 to Serdy et al. describes a system for filtering a specific email list by geographic area. In this system, a user obtains a list of email recipients by querying a database or other means, then selectively narrows this list by filtering each recipient based on geographic location. There is no notion of posting information to a geographical region, where there may or may not be any recipients, nor of using a region of a map to communicate with an anonymous user community. Serdy et al. also contains no idea of delivering arbitrary information to its point of relevance, nor of users browsing for posted information via geographical coordinates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,041 to Abo et al. describes a system wherein a mobile user contacts a database whose elements include location data. The system determines which database items are most relevant based on the mobile user""s location, and communicates the results to the user. This system employs user-initiated queries, coupled with geographic position information, to access the most relevant items in a database. There is no notion of unsolicited communication from a single agent to an anonymous user community in this disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,474 to Dunworth, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,525 to Bouve et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,433 to Rondeau all describe systems that permit users to browse for geographically indexed goods and services, then to obtain specific information and/or invoke actions relating to the goods and services thus located. As with Abo et al., these systems are predicated upon user-initiated searches for database items based partially on those items"" geographical content. There is no notion in any of these disclosures of using geographical regions as a means to communicate with an anonymous user community.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,680 to Johnstone et al. describes a system that is capable of downloading information from a satellite to a remote location, where methods filter the general information thus downloaded based on the remote location""s coordinates as determined by a GPS. The net result of their system is that the end user receives xe2x80x9clocation-specific data tailored to the needs of the userxe2x80x9d. This system uses geographical information to filter data, but does not relate to the notion of using maps to communicate with an anonymous user community.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,810 to Sotiroff et al. describes a system that permits users to search for property listings via a map-based user interface that also takes into account other property-related search criteria. This system is aimed at narrowing a search for geographically indexed items, but includes no notion of using the map as a basis of communicating with other people through maps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,093 to Wills describes an information search and retrieval process using geographical coordinates, which permits users to locate textual references based on geographical location. This system appears to have only marginal relevance to the invention disclosed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,324 to Rieger describes a one-way radio communication system designed to communicate several-minute audio programs at a high transfer rate to passing vehicles. While the specific technology disclosed in this patent is not relevant to the present invention, this patent shares the goal of delivering unsolicited information from one user to many anonymous users at the information""s point of relevance.
It is a first objective of the invention to provide a method for associating arbitrary information with a geographical region of relevance, as defined, e.g., by a closed outline on a map. Information so associated with a geographical region of relevance shall be termed a xe2x80x9cpostingxe2x80x9d.
It is a second objective of the invention to provide a method for communicating the information content of a posting to individuals who are situated in, or who pass through, the posting""s geographical region of relevance.
It is a third objective of the invention to provide a system that implements these methods and makes them accessible to a user community via a graphical user interface designed to run in the context of a wide area network such as the Internet.
This invention empowers people to communicate with one-another through geography, rather than by individual identity. In a typical scenario, a user selects a target audience by drawing a closed outline around the target community on a map. The user then xe2x80x9cpostsxe2x80x9d the desired information to the region thus identified on the map. Potential recipients of the information, i.e., those within the designated region, receive notification of the posting and can act on its information content in any appropriate way.
Example societal uses of this invention are:
To ask questions of a local population. For example, if the target region is a neighborhood, a user could find a tennis partner, locate a desired item for sale, ask if any homes were on or about to come onto the market for sale, or ask a communityrelated question by xe2x80x9cposting to the neighborhoodxe2x80x9d.
To ask questions of a larger population. For example, if the target region is a city, one family could look for another family wishing to house-swap by posting a request to the region.
To initiate contact with individuals. If, for instance, the target is a particular home within a community, i.e., a very small geographical region, a user could communicate directly with the residents of the home without having any prior knowledge about them.
To post community or regional announcements. State, county, and local organizations could post news about topical events to residents in relevant regions.
To post traffic and road construction news. Mobile users could automatically receive news about traffic and road conditions relevant to a city block, an interchange, or a commuting corridor as they passed through.
To advertise. The system can be used to implement xe2x80x9cvirtual billboardsxe2x80x9d. Businesses wishing to get their message out could post advertisements to specific regions, e.g., several city blocks, or a long narrow region covering a particular section of an interstate highway. Mobile users passing through such regions would automatically receive the information.
To educate and inform. The National Park Service could, for example, post information about-sites of historical interest. Vacationers, connected to the Internet via wireless, would receive such information when visiting the site, or prior to visiting by browsing the system""s maps.